DIY Wedding Tabletop Decor

Recently one of my best friends married her high school sweetheart. To anyone that knows them, it really is a match made in heaven, and a perfect couple could only mean a perfect wedding so I was so excited when they asked me to help with the decor.

I quickly learned that wedding decor is a lot like home decor. It’s always best to start with a few inspiration shots or a feeling you’re trying to capture, then develop a palette and fill in the blanks with various details. The bride and groom are two of the most fashionable people I know and had some great ideas about what they wanted — I just had to help them bring those ideas to life.

The wedding took place on an old estate with a gorgeous property. There were multiple barns, gardens and ponds that gave it so much character and charm. With this in mind, they knew they wanted the decor to be lighthearted and at home in the country landscape.

The palette we developed was very natural yet pretty with lots of burlap, barn board and linen, accented by rich navy blue, sparkling glass and tarnished silver.

The bride knew she wanted long tables and cascading centerpieces, which meant extra long table runners. I found burlap for $1.55 yard at Designer Fabric that I then cut down the middle to make runners. The trick was to figure out how much was needed based on the size of the tables; I waited to cut the individual runners on site so each was exactly the right size. I left the edges raw to add to the relaxed aesthetic.

The bride also had an inspiration shot of great zig-zag fabric being used as runners. I was able to find the same fabric in navy that we then used as accents. I lay the burlap runners down the length of the table, and made smaller runners to place across the width of the table, spaced accordingly.

Like the burlap runners with the raw edges, this was also a no-sew project that saved a lot of time. Instead of hemming all four sides, I folded over the outside edges and ironed them in a way that looked finished. Also, because it was actually an outdoor fabric it hardly frayed and spilled liquid just pooled on top.

I have to admit, when it was all pulled together, the final look was really beautiful. And most importantly, the bride and groom loved it. Various shapes and sizes of jars and bottles were filled with white blooms. Some of the bottles were tied with loose pieces of ribbon, string and trinkets for a more personal touch.

A small thank you message was placed at each setting as well as candles (also in jars) and menu cards.

The bride also requested a dessert table. I hung a piece of Dwell Studio fabric in a vintage bird print behind the table, then flanked it by linen drapes. My favourite touch would have to be the “Love is Sweet” sign painted on barn board and hung above.